FIFA World Cup 2026 - players.bio

Fans hope ‘Orange Street’ guides Dutch to World Cup victory

THE HAGUE: Danny van Dijk thinks that this time turning his street in The Hague completely orange is going to work, as the Netherlands again target a long-awaited first World Cup title. For 26 years, whenever the Dutch play in a major football championship, Van Dijk and other residents have turned Marktweg into “Orange Street.” He stands in an orange sea. The houses are draped in orange tarpaulins, orange pennants stretch across the road, and giant photos of orange-clad players are plastered on orange-sheeted lamp-posts and trees. People come from all over the country to see it. Despite this unwavering support, the Netherlands, three-time finalists, have never won the World Cup, but this year, Van Dijk has “a good feeling — we’re going to win.” Some 77km of flags line the street, in tribute to his mother, who passed away in March at the age of 77 and was a former figurehead of the event.

Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, says he is physically ‘fine’ ahead of World Cup

WASHINGTON: Despite not scoring in either of Portugal’s World ‌Cup tune-ups this month, 41-year-old captain Cristiano Ronaldo insists his fitness level is not a concern. “Physically? I’m fine,” the forward told reporters on Friday, per ESPN. “Have you not seen my matches?“ Ronaldo scored 28 times for his club this season to help Al Nassr to the Saudi Pro League title in his fourth campaign with the club.

Former refugees look to ignite Australia’s World Cup

CALIFORNIA: Born in refugee camps to parents displaced by conflict in Africa, three players will show the changing face of Australian soccer at the World Cup and look to answer the nation’s call for goals. Coach Tony Popovic is putting his faith in attackers Mohamed Toure and Nestory Irankunda, two young talents eyeing their first World Cup minutes in the Socceroos’ opening match against Turkiye on Saturday. At 30, Awer Mabil is the duo’s “older brother” and will be on hand to support them as a mentor at his second World Cup. The three have a shared experience as the children of asylum seekers who rose through the footballing ranks in Australia’s sleepy state capital of Adelaide. Already feted among Australia’s 500,000-strong African diaspora, their chemistry may be key to Australia’s hopes of advancing through the ‌group phase and ‌winning a World Cup knockout match for the first time. “It’s the country ‌that ⁠gave us the ⁠opportunity to live,” said 22-year-old Toure. “So I think (the World Cup) would be the best way to pay back and just do what I love at a top level.” Toure, who plays in England’s second tier, was born in a refugee camp in Guinea after his parents fled Liberia. Despite only having 10 caps, he has made himself Popovic’s first-choice striker after a flying start with Norwich City where he scored nine goals in 11 appearances.

Coca-Cola Fan Zone brings cultures together at World Cup opening night in Riyadh

RIYADH: The Coca-Cola Fan Zone at JAX District in Diriyah could simply be described as a place for fans to watch matches alongside a range of entertainment activities. But that would not do it justice.

Head of Palestinian football not granted US visa to attend World Cup

RAMALLAH: The head of the Palestinian Football Association is waiting in Mexico City for permission to enter the United States with other federation heads attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Jibril Rajoub went to the opening match between Mexico and South Africa on Thursday. But he is among several people accredited to attend the World Cup who have been denied visas or have yet to receive them from the United States. “I don’t believe that it’s fair to use or to abuse and deny the right of all footballers all over the world to attend,” the veteran Palestinian political figure said in an interview with The Associated Press. The Palestinian team did not qualify for the World Cup, but FIFA typically invites the heads of football associations from around the world to the event every four years, which it frames as a celebration of global unity. “Everyone will be welcome in Canada, Mexico and the United States for the FIFA World Cup next year.

US primed to plant flag in ‘home’ World Cup opener vs. Paraguay

IRVINE: The long-awaited World Cup opener on home soil Friday promises to contain deep shades of red, white and ‌blue for the United States men’s national team. Manager Mauricio Pochettino might be from Argentina and goal-producing forward Folarin Balogun grew up in England after he was born in New York City, but star playmaker Christian Pulisic does hail from the All-American chocolate bar-producing town of Hershey, Pennsylvania The home fans are ready to embrace all of it when the USMNT takes on Paraguay to kick off Group D play Friday night in search of a sweet result. It will be the first World Cup match on US soil in 32 years, when the 1994 Final was played just up the road in Pasadena. It was another eight years of waiting after the joint hosting bid from the United States, Canada and Mexico was accepted. The 26-man USMNT squad selected by Pochettino is evenly divided between 13 players with previous World Cup experience and 13 first-timers. And yet even those who have been there before know this one will be different. “You say it’s not our first rodeo, but it’s our first one on home soil.

With fighting spirit, South Korea’s beauty triumphs over Czech set-piece beasts

GUADALAJARA, Mexico: ‌It was the tale of “Beauty and the Beast” that lit up the Estadio Guadalajara on Thursday, with South Korea’s prettier, stylish football triumphing over the Czech Republic’s rugged, route-one tactics in an adrenaline-fueled World Cup encounter. South Korea were more than worthy of the 2-1 win, showing their trademark indomitable spirit with a come-from-behind victory to join Mexico atop Group A, all packed into the scintillating second half of a match the Asian side dominated. The Koreans had their game plan and stuck to it, taking it to the Czechs throughout, with silky, intricate play and precision passes that put their opponents on the back foot. Talisman ‌Son Heung-min ‌got the lion’s share of the chances, yet — frustratingly — ‌none ⁠of the goals. South ⁠Korea demonstrated their World Cup pedigree, present in 11 successive tournaments and unbeaten in qualifying with a whopping 40 goals scored, delivering on Thursday an early message of intent that a deep run could be on the cards. Son worked seamlessly with the impressive Lee Kang-in and Lee Jae-sung to create a host of first-half chances, with the trio combining darting runs through the middle with a ⁠succession of dangerous pass-and-go moves that they just could ‌not finish. Brute strength and gargantuan throws But in ‌a game of stark contrasts, it was the Czechs and their direct, physical play who ‌scored first through Ladislav Krejci just before the hour with a perfectly ‌timed header from a 35-meter, slingshot-like throw from Vladimir Coufal. South Korea were buoyed by a largely Mexican crowd in Guadalajara that was clearly rooting for them. They kept cool heads and levelled eight minutes later, when Hwang In-beom picked up Lee Kang-in’s

Bruised Brazil face Morocco in heavyweight World Cup opener

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey: Brazil begin their latest hunt for a long-awaited sixth World Cup crown on Sunday with little room for a gentle landing, facing up-and-coming Morocco in a Group C opener that will test the side’s ability to cope with a lengthy injury list.

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FIFA World Cup 2026 Sport News

Fans hope ‘Orange Street’ guides Dutch to World Cup victory

Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, says he is physically ‘fine’ ahead of World Cup

Former refugees look to ignite Australia’s World Cup

Coca-Cola Fan Zone brings cultures together at World Cup opening night in Riyadh

Head of Palestinian football not granted US visa to attend World Cup

US primed to plant flag in ‘home’ World Cup opener vs. Paraguay

With fighting spirit, South Korea’s beauty triumphs over Czech set-piece beasts

Bruised Brazil face Morocco in heavyweight World Cup opener